May 09, 2011 -- If you were given the choice between diamonds…or pearls, which one would you choose? In the case of Eric Iverson of New Britain last Wednesday, he was handed both—in the form of a CT Lottery “Diamonds & Pearls” instant game ticket. “I got back some change after buying two scratch tickets, so I asked the clerk for any $3 ticket. He reached back behind him, and touched the ‘Diamonds & Pearls’ ticket, so I bought it,” Iverson said. When Iverson saw a matching pair of “12’s” on his ticket, he took his time to slowly reveal the prize amount. “I saw $30 at first, and then the comma…then I went for the glory and scratched away the rest to see the zeros,” Iverson told lottery officials laughing.

When Iverson arrived at CT Lottery headquarters in Rocky Hill later that day, he was excited to learn that he was the first to claim one of the Diamonds & Pearls four $30,000 top prizes. Joined by his wife, Raquel, and their children, Iverson commented about his good fortune. “I went back to the retailer and shook his hand to say, ‘thanks.’ If he hadn’t of touched the ‘Diamonds & Pearls’ ticket, I probably wouldn’t have bought that one,” Iverson said.

While holding his “lucky dime” firmly in his left hand as his picture was taken with his oversized souvenir lottery check, Iverson eagerly accepted his “real” check for $20,551 (prize value after taxes). Iverson, a truck driver, said that he hopes to go back to school for training in computers or electronics. “This money, though, will go toward a long-term investment, and the kid’s college education,” he said.

Iverson’s top prize winning ticket was purchased at Farmington Mart located at 721 Farmington Avenue in New Britain. Farmington Mart will receive a $300 selling bonus from the CT Lottery for selling the ticket.